


What You Do For Love

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Episode: s05e03, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-09 06:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4337048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cochise confronts Tom about his actions during 5x03.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What You Do For Love

            Cochise hovers at the doorway to their bedroom and Tom tries to ignore him, but he’s angry about having to leave Sara behind, angry about how it all worked out, and angry about everyone judging him for making the call that had to be made.  Even Dan admitted it had to be made.  If he had gone to get Sara first, but they ended up being overrun by skitters, they would all be dead.  Everyone would have their moral righteousness, but they would all be dead.

            “If you’re here to badger me about Sara, you can get out,” Tom says, staring at the ceiling.  “I’ve gotten enough crap already.”

            “About the human female?  You made the sound military choice, the same one I would have made,” Cochise says, stepping inside the room and shutting the door behind him.  “And I can see that it has cost you.”

            “You know what the funny thing is?” Tom asks bitterly, banging his fist against the wall to feel the pain.  “You wanna know what’s really, really funny?”

            “I do not know what humor can be found in this situation,” Cochise says.

            “Remember when we were in the plane crash?  And I was in the woods with Pope and you carried Hathaway back to Charleston?” Tom asks.

            Cochise sits next to his head, combing his fingers through his hair.  “I do.”

            “I tried to teach Pope to make fire.  I made fun of him for not being able to make fire, and if he had just listened to me, he wouldn’t have had to come back to camp.  He would have been able to make his own fire,” Tom says, laughing a little.  “I also offered to let him take Ben the first time around- and I taught Ben how to make a fire when he was a kid- but no, Pope doesn’t need any help from us, except when he does.”

            Cochise kisses Tom’s forehead gently.  “I did not come in here to discuss John Pope.” 

            “What do you want?” Tom asks, looking up at him.

            “I was in the next room when you discussed torturing the Overlord with Ben,” Cochise says, looking at him with big, sad eyes.  “Your concern was not for Ben’s wellbeing, but for the efficacy of your torture.”

            “What are you talking about?” Tom asks.

            “Ben tried to persuade you to initiate the torture despite the pain he would feel, and you said that you wanted to, except you did not believe that he had the endurance and it would be pointless,” Cochise says.  “And then you tortured your son.  That is unacceptable.” 

            Tom frowns.  “Are you trying to tell me how to be a parent to my kids?  It was the only way to get the information that we needed.  Do you think I wanted to?  Do you think I enjoyed hearing his screams?  To know that I was why he was in that much pain?”

            “I do not know,” Cochise says, “but I do know that you informed me that if you ever hurt your offspring, I should remove them from your care.  However, I understand that things are more complicated than you had anticipated at the time.  Did you check him for injuries after you tortured him?  Did you apologize for what you had to do?”

            Tom glares up at Cochise.  “There was no time.  Ben said that the skitters could reach critical mass at any minute, that we had to leave ASAP.  He was okay enough, and I let him rest instead of coming along, even though he wanted to.”

            “Have you seen him yet?” Cochise asks.  “Because I sat with him while you were gone, and you did not come to see him when you returned.  He was most disappointed.”

            “I had other things to take care of, Cochise,” Tom says angrily. 

            “He is your offspring, whom you tortured.  Ben could have died today by your hand,” Cochise says.  “What could be more important than that?”

            Tom grinds his teeth together and turns on his side so he doesn’t have to look at Cochise’s face.  “He understands.  Ben understands why I did it, why I couldn’t come see him.  He’s always understood these things.”

            “That does not mean that he does not require your love and assurance that it will be okay.  You did not even inform him that his sacrifice saved us,” Cochise says. 

            “It was hard, but I did what I had to do,” Tom says.  “Everyone has to make sacrifices, everyone has to find their warrior, and that doesn’t exclude my kids just because they’re mine.”

            “You will not make such a decision again without me,” Cochise says, sounding as close to angry as Tom as ever heard him.  “You will not make any potentially dangerous decision about your offspring without me.”

            “Excuse me?” Tom asks, turning to look at him.  “They’re my kids, Cochise.”

            “You informed me that I should consider them my own offspring, and I have attempted to learn from you.  I love them as my own and I will not allow your rage to endanger their lives more than necessary again,” Cochise says.  He leans down and presses his lips to Tom’s forehead again.  “I love you, and you may attempt to hurt me all you wish, but you may not hurt our offspring.  I will do anything to keep them safe, even from you.”

            “Did you just threaten me?” Tom says, sitting up.

            “It will not be a problem if you do not place them in undue danger again,” Cochise says.  He stands up.  “That is all I wished to discuss with you.  Goodnight, Tom.  I love you.”

            “This conversation isn’t over,” Tom says, standing up, too.

            “There is nothing else to say,” Cochise says before opening the door.  “You will not hurt our offspring.  That is that.”

            Tom gapes openmouthed at Cochise’s retreating back.  Cochise has never talked to him like that before.  He tamps down on the voice in the back of his head that says that Cochise was right to.


End file.
